Social Life in Kastamonu During the National Struggle

After the Sivas Congress, with the suspension of the relations and communication between Istanbul and Anatolia by the Delegation of Representation, the importance of Kastamonu, an important province of Anatolia located closest to Istanbul, increased to an extent incomparable to its historical past. The main factors in the increase in the strategic importance of Kastamonu Province were the fact that the Anatolian side of Istanbul was kept under the control of the Entente States, and that the Greek occupation, starting from Izmir, included a significant part of Western Anatolia and the Marmara region. In addition, with the navy control of the Entente States in the Black Sea and the attempt to reduce the effectiveness of the Kuvâ-yı Milliye and the Ankara Government on the railway and highway routes to Anatolia, the small piers and bays on the Western Black Sea coasts after the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly constituted the only transportation line for the transportation of people and weapons and ammunition. Therefore, Kastamonu Province became one of the main transportation lines of Anatolia to the outside world. In the period 1919-1923, the province had an extraordinary mobility. The main reason for this is that it became the base for transporting arms and ammunition shipments from Istanbul, the Eastern Black Sea region, the Eastern Anatolia region and Russia to the western front. In addition, after 1920, it became a transit route for human resources who wanted to join the National Struggle by illegally crossing to Anatolia. It also became one of the important centers of the diplomatic traffic that the Government of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey wanted to carry out over the Black Sea. For these reasons, extraordinary organizations were established in the provincial center of Kastamonu and small piers and towns in the coastal region. This article is mainly based on the social organization formed in the center of Kastamonu province during the National Struggle and the contribution of these organizations to the National Struggle. On this occasion, the population living in the center of Kastamonu and the social civil organizations formed with the initiative of this population; organizations reflecting various aspects of social life such as the Young People’s Club, Teachers’ Association, Himaye-i Etfal Society, Women’s Employment Association and their activities between 1919 and 1923 are discussed. In addition, information on educational institutions, press and broadcasting organs in the provincial center and their activities reflecting social life are also included. Apart from these, the activities of local and foreign delegations that came to the province between the mentioned dates and the changes they brought about in the city life are emphasized.

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